Chapter 122: Chapter 121: Teeth-Chilling
When the news reached Anhua Courtyard, Yunluo was sitting at the table copying some Buddhist scriptures.
New Year was approaching, and Old Mrs. Xia was a devout Buddhist, making offerings to Fa Yin Temple every year.
In her younger days, Old Mrs. Xia would hand-copy some scriptures herself, but as her eyesight deteriorated over the years, this task was passed on to the younger generation.
Yunluo had excellent handwriting.
In a previous life, she had been lazy and shirked this task a few times, letting Du Yunying and Du Yunnuo take over the task. They diligently copied and received a few words of praise from Old Mrs. Xia.
But this year, Du Yunying was busy preparing for marriage. Although the final date was not yet set, it seemed to be about half a year away, and everything else could wait except for the most urgent embroidered items. In Shuifu Garden, Miao Family regretted not being able to borrow Jin Ling to help; as for Du Yunnuo, she wanted to help with the copying but had no choice but to be cautious due to the Liao Family’s recent erratic temper, forcing her to behave quietly.
Thus, the task of copying scriptures fell to Yunluo.
She had spent half her life studying scriptures, so they existed in her mind, and she did not resist copying them to pass the time.
Yunluo had the patience to endure and could copy for an entire afternoon.
Jin Rui parted the curtain and entered, seeing her immersed in the scriptures, ready to speak but holding back.
Yunluo glanced up at her, nodding slightly towards the inkstone.
Jin Rui understood, stepped forward to add water, and picked up the ink stick to grind it meticulously.
The rich fragrance of ink filled the air, and after mixing gold powder, testing the consistency, Yunluo said, "If you have something to say, just say it."
Jin Rui hesitated before responding ambiguously, "Miss, I just returned from Anfeng Courtyard and heard some news. At Duke Jing Mansion, the Old Master matched Princess An Ran to the Enrong Bo Mansion."
Yunluo was stunned.
Although both were Bo Mansions, the foundations of Enrong and Chengyi Bo Mansions were entirely different.
Chengyi Bo Mansion had been ennobled since the founding of the dynasty, whereas the current Lord of Enrong Bo Mansion was only the second generation.
The title of Enrong Bo Mansion was not earned through military achievements but because one of their members was one of the Four Concubines, the current Lord’s aunt, who was the late Emperor’s favored consort, winning prestige for the family.
With shallow roots, after the late Emperor and that concubine passed westward, Enrong Bo Mansion was left with only a title, and it wasn’t even hereditary.
Though not demoted to a lower status, it was only to be passed down for five generations.
Five generations isn’t particularly short, but it’s not long either.
In Yunluo’s memory, the family hadn’t even passed on to the fifth generation in her previous life before a series of events led to the title being revoked and them being reduced to commoners.
Moreover, the sons of Enrong Bo Mansion, the legitimate eldest son who held the title was already married, and the remaining two were born of concubines.
Was the Old Master planning to marry Princess An Ran to one of these concubine-born sons?
Though Princess An Ran was also of concubine birth, marrying a concubine-born son of a Bo Mansion might seem a suitable match in terms of status, yet some might argue it was a disadvantage for the Princess.
But those weren’t the main points.
The main point was, why would the Old Master casually match Princess An Ran, someone he held dearly, in such a manner?
Princess An Ran stood out among the noble girls of the Capital, relying solely on the Old Master’s indulgence, which seemed to be without limits. Why the sudden change? Was it simply because she had intervened to stop Mu Lianxiao and Mu Lianhui twice?
Yunluo didn’t believe it.
She thought things were not that simple.
Yunluo was lost in thought, not noticing the ink forming a droplet at her pen tip, ready to fall.
Jin Rui noticed and quickly exclaimed, "Miss, watch the scriptures."
Yunluo snapped back to her senses, hurriedly moving her wrist, letting the ink droplet fall onto the table, spreading. She paused, then chuckled, "Luckily, I didn’t stain the scriptures, or this page would have been wasted."
Jin Rui pulled out a handkerchief to wipe the table.
Yunluo simply put down her pen and walked to the window to avoid getting in the way.
She continued pondering the issue.
In a previous life, Princess An Ran lived comfortably in the boudoir, until the legitimate wife of the Young Master passed away, and she donned mourning for her stepmother, fading from the noble ladies’ view.
Though she no longer appeared in public, everyone watched expectantly, believing the Old Master would elevate her and her brother’s mother, Aunt Liao, to a proper position after the mourning period.
Even though some secretly thought a ’Cheng Yaojin’ might unexpectedly appear, many still believed in Aunt Liao’s prospects. Even the Liao Family thought her sister could turn their fortunes by relying on her children to control the Duke Mansion’s back courtyard, only to find a real ’Cheng Yaojin’ arose.
The Old Master personally selected someone of a matching family to be the Young Master’s second wife.
After a series of twists and turns, Princess An Ran remained a concubine-born daughter.
Facing a stepmother even younger than her by two years, Princess An Ran was unsettled. Aunt Liao was deeply frustrated but couldn’t dare to complain or resist, leaving Princess An Ran to cry and make a fuss in front of the Old Master and the Young Master.
The Old Master still indulged her like his precious darling, and finally selected a good husband for Princess An Ran, marrying her off grandly.
Such past events made Yunluo feel the Old Master extremely favored Princess An Ran, but in this life, re-evaluating her current treatment and the news from the Liao Family about the Duke Mansion, Yunluo’s conviction wavered.
Not only wavered, she even felt a chill down her spine, as if even the underground fire dragon in the room couldn’t block the northeast wind from outside, making her shiver.
What Yunluo thought of was the Young Master’s wife’s son and daughter, raised these years before the Duke’s wife but overshadowed by their concubine-born siblings.
Originally, what was called favor was merely a facade, all part of the Old Master’s calculation and design.
If the Old Master cautiously regarded these four children, with the Young Master’s wife’s frail health bedridden, could she truly properly raise her children?
Even if raised before the Duke’s wife, who could guarantee they would grow up safely?
These years, Aunt Liao’s inaction was not because she lacked courage or ambition; it was the Old Master’s attitude toward Princess An Ran and her brother that confused her, making her believe that presenting the image of a virtuous wife and good mother would suffice without taking risks.
The Old Master’s affection for Princess An Ran was merely to guard against Aunt Liao and her two children.
It’s not the fear of thieves stealing but fearing thieves remembering; rather than worry, it was better to make Aunt Liao cautious.
And now, the Young Master’s wife could no longer endure, but her younger sister from her maiden family was also about to visit. The Old Master was as clear as crystal, knowing the legitimate children were grown, he no longer needed Princess An Ran to stabilize Aunt Liao, making her disposition simple.
With no foundation, marrying into the declining Enrong Bo Mansion, and a concubine-born son at that, Aunt Liao’s dreams of rising to prominence through her daughter were impossible.
Realizing all this, Yunluo felt a myriad of emotions.
The schemes and calculations in this inner courtyard truly chilled her to the marrow.
No matter Princess An Ran’s temperament and whether she and Yunluo got along, Yunluo had to admit Princess An Ran had deep respect and fondness for the Old Master.
Once Princess An Ran realizes her grandfather had planned for her this way, she would likely have her heart turned cold.
